Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-07
A STRANGE TALE.
MORE WONDERFUL THAN KISSANB'S.
Stanford Croker and Hopkins Led 10 Trust a Man
Who Em5ezzled Over Half a Million
and Whom They Dared Not
Prosecute.
Chicago %t5,,ac

California is full OF people, and some
quite prominent ones, too, whose ante
cedents, could they be revealed, would
surpass in interest the story of KisSane-
Rogers" said gentleman formerly con-
nected with the law department of the
Central Pacific railway in a conversation
nj one OF the downtown clubs yesterday.
"KiSsauc is not the only man who, when
he drifted to the golden shore, forgot to
take HIS name with him. Did You ever
hear of the story OF John Miller. That Is
tale of romance beside which the KS
sane revelation sinks into the common
place. II You have half an hour to spare
/ will tell it to you. | was one the attor-
neys that worked up the case, aud am en-
tirrly familiar with it, The Miller eXplO
sion occurred about eight years ago, and 1t
caused greater sensation in California
than any similar development that had
ever come to light. Not that such things
are uncommon or unexpected in that
country, but the high position Miller had
held. the men Of mighty wealth and
prominence with whom he had associated
IN business, the social standing of all the
PARTIES, the elegance in which the Miller
family hyed-all these things invested the
affair with IN absorbing interest. To say
that society in san Francisco WAS shocked
when all the facts became known but
trrbIy couyeyS nv meaning.
some time about l~Gl there came to
Sacramento from Virginia. large imposing
| looking man who Introduced himself ~
| John Miller lie was very retlCent--m
| fact. 80 much 80 ~ TO reach almost
brusquenesS in repelling advances to learn
more of himsclfth than ne chose to tell But
ne was OF very quiet habits, and rs he was
/ evidently a gentleman and man OF mark
| ell ability, he soon made friends and pow
erful ones. Miller was Il man OF large
views and sought the acquaintance only ot
men of like calibgC. Though not rich he
had means sufficient Tor his support. He
seemed in no haste To get either employ
ment or engage in business He lived the
| life of a gentleman of independent means,
and was rs we'll informed ON public affairs
A. any of the leading public men whose
acquaintance he made and whose friend
ship he formed He took great interest in
the construction OF the overland railroad,
and hand had many conferences with
Stamford CrOcker and Hopkins on
the subject Mark Hopkins was espe-
cially impressed with Miller's cOmprehCn-
sive and sagaciouS views on financial mat
tiers connected with the road and its build
| ING Not one ut the railroad syndicate but
| resperted Mr. Miller and gave him rs much
of their confidence ~ was consistent with
their relations rs gentlemen. Miller had \
wonderful degree of magnetism. lie was
also the soul of candor and truthtulneSs
and he made such an impression upon
| Mark Hopkins, and Croker, too, that IT
began 10 he suggested among the railroad
men that ifMr Miller could Ike induced to
accept some position OF trust and rcSpoSl-
hilitv he could be made most useful. No
body thought of investigating the auto
cpdents of the man; they had known him
nearly q year; besides, it never was the
fashion in California 10 90 behind the re-
Turns Once across the Rocky mountains
and YOU come into an atmosphere OF trust
and confidence.
so when the Contract and Finance
cop,papy was organized-that wheel within
a wheel organization by which the four
railroad builders made princely fortunes
John Miller was invited by his friend
Hopkins To become its secretary. As 1t
WAS for his financial ability that his ser
vices were especially sought, it was deemed
useless to offer him anything less than
such services would demand anywhere,
and his salary WAS fixed at SlO.O year
in gold. The Contract and Finance Com
pany, ~ is we'll known, disburSed all OF
the hundred millions or so that the Central
Pacific is alleged to have cost to build. Oh
course, not nearly all that money went into
the road and its equipment, but 1t did go
through the Contract and Finance Com
pany, and John Miller kept the accounts
and for ten years or more possessed the
closest secrets of the president and direc-
tors of both the railway and construction
company As time passed on, Miller be-
came more and more valuable TO his en-
ployers. Quiet, unaSsuming and indus
trious, for he worked night and day in
their interests, he was indeed Jewel of a
trusted official HiSSalary was in time raised
to SIS, 900, and when in 1869 the road WAS
completed to Ogden he was given six
months leave and told to spend it in
, Europe. Being q man OF inexpensive
habits, Miller naturally saved money
He began to invest in lands in the Sacra-